*CHAPTER XIX*
*FENCING*
Russell sat unmoved; he was not acting without due deliberation, thoughhe realized that he had a dangerous foe to deal with. For some timeUzali played with the string, tying and untying the knots as if he weremaking up his mind what to do next. To Wilfrid Mercer, looking on, theincident reminded him of two chess masters bent over a table.
"You are a stranger to me," Uzali said.
"That, to a certain extent, I am prepared to admit," Russell replied."I don't know whether you are a religious man or not, Mr. Uzali, butprobably you will agree with me----"
"So you know my name at any rate," Uzali said.
Russell shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't want any credit for that," he said. "I could have learnt yourname from a score of people since I have been here. Besides, it is nonews to me seeing that I am under the impression that you are using itas a _nom de guerre_. On the other hand my name is Swan Russell, andthis is my friend, Dr. Wilfrid Mercer. I have spent a great deal oftime in Borneo seeking a fortune, which, until a short time ago,appeared to be within my grasp. Unfortunately, I had unscrupulouspeople to deal with, and am really hard up for a hundred pounds. Myfriend, Dr. Mercer, is even in worse case than myself. He had themisfortune to be a medical attendant on board a steamer which waswrecked in the East. I should not be surprised if you have heard of aboat called the _Guelder Rose_, which was owned by Mr. Samuel Flower, ofthe Flower Line of steamers. Believe me, I am not occupying your timemerely to hear myself talk."
Uzali glanced keenly at the speaker. The look of suspicion had diedfrom his face. Something like a smile lurked in the corners of hismouth.
"I may be mistaken," he said, "but I think you are a man after my ownheart. Now tell me candidly--have you suffered any wrong at the handsof this Samuel Flower? Is your friend in the same predicament?"
"That is so," Russell said gravely. "But for Samuel Flower I should bea rich man. But for Samuel Flower my friend Mercer would not be sodesperately situated as he is. I think I have given you enough evidenceof my bona fides in the piece of string which you are holding in yourhand."
"I am not going to deny it," Uzali said. "And I see the necessity forcaution. I suppose you realize that Mr. Flower is in some danger?"
"Flower is in imminent peril of his life I know," Russell replied."Upon my word, I hardly know how to go on. To all practical purposes,you are as good as an Englishman, Mr. Uzali, and you know our laws aswell as I do. If anything happened to Flower now and the trouble weretraced home to you, for instance, you would have considerable difficultyin saving your neck. In other words, I am going to accuse you of beingconcerned in a conspiracy to put an end to Samuel Flower. I know thisis a bold assertion."
"Oh, we will grant it for the moment," Uzali said coolly. "I confessyou startled me when you passed me that piece of string. I see youunderstand the significance of those five knots, and, indeed, you havealready told me that you have spent a good deal of your time in NorthBorneo. You pay me the compliment of deeming me to be an antagonistworthy of his steel, and I have an equal respect for your courage andaudacity. But you are wrong in asserting that Samuel Flower stands indanger from me at the present moment. Later, perhaps, circumstances mayalter. In the meantime he is as safe as yourself."
The last words were uttered with a grimness which was not lost upon thelisteners.
"I thank you for those words," Russell said gravely, "and none the lessbecause they prove to me that you don't know everything. You areunaware, I suppose, that two of your fellow-countrymen were, untilrecently, engaged to a circus proprietor who is touring in Kent. Itdoes not matter who this circus proprietor is. The main point is that hepicked these men up in the Mediterranean and they have been a great drawto his show. A little time ago the circus was at a place calledCastlebridge, which happens to be quite close to Maldon Grange, thecountry residence of our friend Mr. Samuel Flower."
Uzali nodded his lean yellow head restlessly. It was evident that thisinformation was new to him. He looked at Russell rather searchingly, asif trying to read his inmost secrets. The company in the theatre wasbeginning to get smaller. Not more than a score or two of guestsremained, and these were mostly men who had crowded into therefreshment-room.
"You cannot tell how vastly I am obliged to you," Uzali said. "Butplease go on. I give you my word of honour that I had not the leastidea of this. I had not the remotest knowledge that one of my ownclansmen was in England. But I still see you have something important tosay. I am all attention."
"Well, how, I don't know," Russell resumed, "but these men found outthat Samuel Flower was in the neighbourhood. They made one or twoexcursions to Maldon Grange, because my friend Mercer happened to seethem himself. He will describe to you what incantations they were goingthrough and the mysterious way in which they vanished when heinterrupted them. Late that night an attack was made on the life of Mr.Flower, and, but for the intervention of Dr. Mercer, the ship-owner'stroubles would have been at an end. But perhaps my friend had bettertell the story in his own way."
"Incantations," Uzali muttered. "Oh, yes, I understand. There werebrass crucibles, a peculiar smell, strange globes of light. Oh, yes, Ihave seen it all before. And, mind you, it is not the poor make-believeof magic such as you get in Europe. That was the real thing. But I aminterrupting you, doctor. I shall be greatly obliged if you will tellme everything."
Nothing loth, Wilfrid proceeded to tell his story which Uzali followedwith breathless attention.
"I assure you I knew nothing of this," he said, when at length Mercerhad finished. "I never guessed anything of the kind. On the contrary,I would give more than half I possess to insure Samuel Flower's safetyfor the next few weeks. We are wasting time here. I shall be glad ifyou gentlemen will come with me as far as Castlebridge without delay sothat I may interview these fellow-countrymen of mine. They will listento me as they will listen to nobody else. When they have my commandsthey will obey them as well-trained hounds should do. It is perhapsfortunate that Samuel Flower is in town, but those men are so fearless,so reckless of life, that it is little--but we must be moving. I shallbe glad if you will come with me as far as my house so that we can takethe motor without delay and get to Chatham before daylight. It is theonly way I can see."
"But I cannot leave town," Mercer protested. "I have some urgentbusiness which will keep me here till Saturday at the least. You seemto have forgotten what I told you about those countrymen of yours. Theywere fetched back to the theatre at the end of a whip by the proprietorand his big negro, but by the morning they had vanished. It seemed sostrange to see them return in that docile fashion. I am afraid you willhave great trouble in finding them now."
"It is annoying," Uzali muttered. "I had forgotten that those fellowshad given the circus proprietor the slip. At any rate, I shall not haveto look for them in the country. If they are not already in London,they are on their way here. And now, gentlemen, will you do me thehonour of coming with me as far as my house? There is still much to besaid between us, much to explain, and I am sure that if you will onlyput out a hand to help me, I shall do everything in my power to assistyou. Is that a bargain?"
The lights were going out one by one. The few late stayers weredrifting away from the bar. It was not far short of three o'clock in themorning, but none of the trio were disposed to sleep. The air seemed tobe charged with magnetic fluid; something like danger lingered in everynook.
"By all means," Russell said. "I should like to tell you my story, andthen you can judge whether I am right or not in what I have resolved todo."
Without another word Uzali slipped into his overcoat and bade hiscompanions follow. They entered a cab and were whirled westwards untilthey came to a tall block of flats at the corner of Oxford Street.Uzali put his key in the latch and opened the door. Then he stood backwith a bow signifying that his companions might p
recede him.